As electronic devices, such as switches and routers, become more powerful, they tend to generate more heat and may overheat unless some cooling technique is applied.
One known method for cooling electronic devices is to measure the temperature of a heat transfer medium (e.g., a cold plate) placed near or in contact with the device to be cooled. This temperature is then used to determine the amount of power supplied to a thermo-electric cooler that is placed in contact with the heat transfer medium. As the measured temperature of the heat transfer medium rises, more power is supplied to the thermo-electric cooler causing the thermo-electric cooler to pump more heat from the heat transfer medium, which in turn draws heat away from the electronic device to be cooled. As the temperature of the heat transfer medium drops, the amount of power to the thermo-electric cooler is reduced to save power. In this manner, the temperature of the electronic device is maintained within a desirable range, reducing the chance of damaging the device based on overheating.